Obituaries March 7, 2006

Wanda Riley, 77, of Taiban, died Sunday, March 5, 2006, at Roosevelt General Hospital following an illness.

She was born Dec. 20, 1928, in Clovis to Albert and Lilly Moss. She was raised in Clovis where she attended school. She attended a beauty school in Clovis.

She married F.C. Riley on Sept. 10, 1949, in Clovis. They made their home at the Riley Ranch south of Taiban in 1949. She worked as a waitress, baby-sitter, and in the laundry department of a nursing home for several years.

Family said she loved living on the ranch and caring for her pet animals.

She was preceded in death by her parents; three brothers Albert, Johnny and Freddy; and three sisters, Permalia, Doris and Albertina.

She is survived by her husband; three daughters, Becky Melton of Fort Sumner; Katherine Dewbre (and husband, Bill) of Rio Rancho and Margaret York (Stanley) of Amarillo; a sister, Mary Haws (Alfred) of Amarillo; two grandchildren, Ray Melton (Karen) and Stanley York (Grace); two great-grandsons, Frederice Clarence York and Reese Melton.

Anna Teeter will officiate services.

Burial will follow at Blanco Cemetery south of Taiban.
Arrangements are by Chavez Funeral Home in Fort Sumner.

He was born June 15, 1921, in Alamo to Diana Lorraine and Robert Jerome Arnold.

He worked on ranches around Santa Rosa for several years. He moved to Arch to find work in 1940. He married Imogene Riley on Feb. 14, 1942, in Portales. He was inducted into the Army in November 1942, and served in the Pacific as a medic until his discharge in 1945. He moved to Arch in 1948 and had made his home there ever since.

For several years, he ran a garage and welding shop. In about 1964, he established the Arnold Feed Store. Since 1971 he had farmed and ranched. He looked after his cattle as long as his health would permit. He was a member of the Third and Kilgore Church of Christ.

Family said he enjoyed fishing and hunting and restoring vehicles.

He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, Glen and Warren Arnold, and by his mother and father-in-law, Ima and Scott Riley.

She was born Aug. 14, 1904, on a farm near Abilene, Kan., to Samuel Aaron and Laura Ellen Kopenhaver Romberger.

She graduated from Abilene High School in 1924. She enjoyed playing the piano, singing and participating in activities at Emmanuel Evangelical Church. She worked as a secretary for the Wyant Insurance Agency and later for the Midwest Mill in Abilene. She married Charles James (Jim) Wood on Aug. 14, 1925, in Topeka, Kan. She worked as a secretary for the Dickinson County Farm Bureau from 1951 until she retired in 1966.

She was a member of the Order of Eastern Star and served as Worthy Matron. She was active in the VFW and World War I auxiliary. She was an active member of Emmanuel United Methodist Church in Abilene.

She moved to Heartland Continuing Care Center in 2001. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church.
She was preceded in death by her parents; five brothers, Harry, Herb, Will, Wes and Luther Romberger; three sisters, Hattie Cavender, Gertie McCoy and Ether Staehli (and husband, Jim); and a daughter, Bonnie Lou Wood, who died in 1988.

She is survived by a son Bill Wood (Ruth) of Portales; three grandchildren, Julie Wood of San Jose, Calif., Chris Wood (Tammy) of Portales and Carol Sandoval (Vince) of Albuquerque; six great-grandchildren, Amanda, Ryan and Taryn Wood, Janay Summers and Andrew and Patrick Sandoval.

The Rev. Harry Riser will officiate services. A service will also be held at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at the Danner Funeral Home in Abilene, Kan.

Burial will be at Abilene Cemetery in Abilene, Kan.
The family suggests memorial contributions be made to the First United Methodist Church in Portales.

He was born June 23, 1920, in El Pubelto, Chihuahua, Mexico, to Jorge and Sara Dominguez Venegas. He married Gregoria Sanchez in Mexico. He was a laborer in the agricultural industry, and was a member of the Apostolic Church in Clovis.

He is preceded in death by his parents, three brothers and a sister.

He is survived by his wife; three daughters, Rosa Medrono of El Paso, Texas, Sara Garcia of Clovis and Mary Diaz of Seminole, Texas; a brother, Manuel Venegas of Las Cruces; 12 grandchildren and 26 great grandchildren.